Financial Aid Timing Changes

Financial Aid Timing Changes Set for Autumn Semester

Starting Autumn Semester 2013, several timing changes related to financial aid will promote student success, minimize student debt, and make us all more aware and accountable for the process.

Beginning Autumn Semester 2013:

Faculty will be reporting student attendance/participation earlier in the semester.

Students identified in the first report as not actively attending/participating will be dropped from class rosters, and their financial aid eligibility will be adjusted.

Processing of financial aid refunds for students identified as attending/participating will begin after the first faculty report, which will be taken starting the 3rd week of the semester.

Refunds of financial aid credit balances will be issued to eligible recipients beginning between the 5th and 6th weeks of the semester. For Autumn Semester 2013, remaining credit balances should be released by Sept. 30.

Please note that financial aid funds,including scholarship monies and alternative educational loans, will be affected by the timing changes.

The changes beginning Autumn Semester DO NOT AFFECT:

The amount of financial aid which students are awarded.

The funding applied toward tuition, fees and books.

The funding applied toward tuition and fees and the book allowance will be available to students before the term begins so these educational expenses can be paid.

Columbus State understands that some students may find the financial aid timing modifications inconvenient at first. By alerting students to these changes in advance, the college is enabling students to plan ahead and continue to manage their financial aid successfully.